The best outdoor gear pulls double duty. It works as well in the city as on the trail—it's functional and aesthetically pleasing. And of course, durable and sustainable, too. While the all-new Vasque St. Elias hiking boot is certainly more at home deep in the backcountry than on Houston Street, the modern hiker checks all the other boxes when it comes to form and function. Released to much fanfare on 9 April 2024, I’ve been testing an early edition of the boot here in New York for the past month or so, and between hurricane rainstorms in the city and early spring hikes in the Catskills, I’ve put it through the paces in a range of environments. The verdict? This overhauled hiker is a welcome update to the Minnesota-based brand’s longstanding St. Elias model. Read on for why and what makes it so.
First and foremost, let’s address the look, because you’re kidding yourself if you claim to pick gear on performance merit alone (though the St. Elias holds up to that test, too). Available in three minimalist colorways in a full-grain and nubuck leather upper, the 2024 St. Elias builds upon both previous iterations of the heavy duty hiking boot and other heritage Vasque styles like the Sundowner. A diamond embossed tonal patch on the fully integrated tongue doubles down on the old-school design nod, while the sturdy Vibram Megagrip outsole (exclusive to Vasque) firmly roots the boot in the modern world of performance outdoor footwear.